Audi A4 vs Toyota Avalon 03/15/2011
The Toyota Avalon isn't the first vehicle that people think of when they're in the market for a luxury sedan, but its $32,595 price tag puts it in direct competition with many of the entry-level models from high end companies.
To see if the Avalon was up to the challenge, we pitted it against the $32,300 Audi A4 sedan. Toyota backs the Avalon with a 5 year/60,000 mile warranty, while the A4 will come with slightly less coverage at 4 years/50,000 miles.
One of the big differences in the two vehicles is that the Avalon comes with a V6 while the A4 opts for a turbocharged inline-four. The A4 is significantly lighter, however, making the performance battle pretty close. Audi actually wins in torque, at 258 lb-ft compared to the Avalon's 248 lb-ft, and also has slightly better fuel economy at 22/30 compared to 20/29. The Avalon has more horsepower, with 268 beating the Audi's 211.
Inside, we have to give the slight edge to Audi. Toyota has the Avalon equipped with a standard iPod jack, which is only an option on the Audi. However, while the Audi matches Avalon features like dual climate control and power seats, it also offers drivers far more flexibility than Toyota. Parking assistance, a built-in hard drive and HD radio are all optional upgrades for the A4 that aren't available on any of the Avalon's packages.
It's pretty close, but in the end we prefer the A4. That's not to discount the Avalon, however - if you look past the non-luxury marquee, Toyota has built a very well-made vehicle.